Machine for removing labels from crates.



S. VOLZ. MACHINE FOR REMOVING-LABELS FROM CRATES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12,1914.

1,1 58,752. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- Haj l I f 9 3 i iii iii COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COOWASHINGTON. D. C.

S. VOLZ. MACHINE FOR REMOVING LABELS FROM CRATES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1914.

1,158,752. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I I @gv COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0, WASHINGTON, D c.

SIMON VOIiZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

onnrcn.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING LABELS FROM CRATES.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2 1915.

Application filed February 12, 1914. Serial No. 818,435.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON of the United States, and resident of Mil- Heretofore it has'been customary to scrape the ends of crates by hand in order to remove the old labels and marks in preparing the crate for reuse and this hand work in large breweries and the like requires the work of thirty or forty employees and requires the work of one man in sharpening the scraping tools alone, as the scrapers are quickly dulled by their engagement with tacks left in the wood. I

By means of the present invention all of "this work of scrapingand cleaning the ends of crates may be performed by a machine which by reason of its rapidly rotating wire brush is capable of performing better work and without necessitating the sharpening of tools and can clean the crates as rapidly as they can be fed thereto.

With theabove and other objects in view the invention consists in the machine for removing labels from crates and the like as herein claimed and all equivalents.

- Referring to the accom anying drawings.

in which like characterso reference indicate the same parts in difierent views: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention, a part of the guide being broken away-to show the labels-n the end of the crate; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof; and, Fig; 4 is a similar sectional view thereof on a different plane showingthe guide for the crates on their way to thebrush.

In these drawings side frames suitably connected together to support the other parts of'the machine and carrying a pair of sills ll'which have crosspieces 12 connecting them to form a horizontal bed for a crate conveyer. Sprocket Join, .a citizen indicates a pair of wheels 13 are mounted on shafts let and 15 lournaled in bearings 16 at the ends of the Irame and have roller chains 17 passing around them, said chains being connected by slats 18 to form a crate conveyer, there being angle iron tracks 19 secured to the sills 11 and resting on the crosspieces 12 to form a bearing support for the chains.

The shaft 20 is journaled across the lower part of the frames 10 and carries at one end a belt pulley 21 by means of which the machine may be driven from any suitable source of power, whileat the other end is a pinion 22 meshing with a gear wheel 23 carrying a beveled pinion 24 which meshes with a cor responding beveled pinion 25 on a shaft'26. The shaft 26 is journaled in bearings 27 on an inclined bar 28 secured to one side of the frame 10 and has a worm 29 meshing with a worm wheel 30 on shaft 15 to cause the traveling movement of the crate conveyer. r

An inclined shaft 31 is j ournaled in suitable bearings 32 on one of the side frames of the machine and carries a cylindrical, stiff wire brush 33 and also a belt pulley 34, the latter being connected by a belt 35 with a belt pulley 36 on shaft 20. The brush 33 is thus caused to rapidly rotate by the same driving means which produces the traveling movement of the crate conveyer.

Guide frames 37 and 38 are formed by slats secured to angle iron end pieces 39 which are bent to extend beneath the sills 11 and are adjustably attached thereto by means of bolts 40 passing through slots of the end pieces 39, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the guide frames may be adjusted laterally of the path of travel of the crate conveyer. The inner end pieces 39 of the guide frames 37 and 38 are inclined tocorrespond with the inclination of the cylindrical wire brush 33 and'the two guide frames are spaced apart sufiioient to enable the wire brush to extend between them into the path of travel of the ends of the crates on the conveyer.

At intervals the slats 18 of the crate conveyer are provided with angle cleats 11 which are adapted to engage the rear edge vof a crate when placed upon the conveyer and prevent said crate from sliding on the conveyer when brought in contact with the wire brush. When the crates are placed on the conveyer they are preferably positioned against the guide frame 37, but in any event before reaching the wire brush they are of one or more leaf sprin guides 42 secured V to one of the upright'posts of'theside frame opposite the wire brush. The spring guide i2 is curved to constitute a yielding canisteface in the path of the crates and is engaged by them in their travel on the conveyer and prevents the crates yielding against the action of the Wire brush thereon. As the crates pass the wire brush their ends "are exposed to the action of the brush which in its rapid rotation quickly cuts into the surface of the end of the crate, removing-all labels or marks therefrom; In passing the brush the crate is guided by the guide fran 'e 38 until it is freefrom the brush and may 7 then be removed from the machine for use. e As the wire brush becomes worn, consequent'ly of smaller diameter, the guide frames 37 and 38 are adjusted outwardly so that the path of travel of the end of the crate willbring it into the desired degree of contact with "the brush.

Bynreans of this invention the crates may be fed to the machine as rapidly asthey be handled and the cleaning operation may be practically continuous, the crates b'eing fed by the conveyer past the rotary brush V or other hard objects.

' incline, as shown,a'nd to turn the brush in which thoroughly cleans the ends without becoming injured by the presence of tacks In practice itis found that the Work performed by the wire brush is superior to the Work done by hand scraping and there is not as much wear re sulting to the crate.

The wire brush may be mounted with its axis vertical, but it is preferred to-give it an the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the crate, as it is believed that more thorough work may be done and there is less liability of the crate being dislodged from its position on the conveyer by the action of the brush.

While the invention has been described as intended for use in removing labels from I crates, it is obvious that it may be used for cleaning the ends of boxes or containers "of various forms. 7

What I claim asnew and desire to' secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for removing labels from crates and the like, comprising a guide along whicha crate may be moved, and a cyli'm drical brushmounted on the opposite'side of the guide from the side on which the crate travels, and projecting through the plane of the guidetoengage the face of the cratetwhich bears against the guide Q. A machine for removing labels from crates and the like, con'iprising a guide along which crates may be passed in'bearing therewith, said guide being provided with an oblique opening, and a cylindrical, rotary wire brush positionedobliquely with relation to 'thegiiide and projecting through the openadapted to engage the ends of th rates during there-aver, means for revolving I the brush in-the direction to cause suchp'rojecting portion thereof to travel in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the crates. I

' 4. A machine for removing i'aheis from crates and the like, comprising a crate conve e1-,-a rotary, cylindrical, wire brush positione'd fat the side of the conveyer in the path of the cratescarried bythe conveyer, 1;}

means for rotating th'ebru'sh i'na direction opposite the direction of travel of the "crates, said brush being inclined in a direction 'opposite the direction of travel of the crates to cause it'to work downwardly against the 'ehds of the crates.

5*. A inaehihe for removing labels from crates the. like, comprising an endless crate conveyer, "cleats on the convey er to engage crates when-placed on the "conveyer,

a guide positioned at the side of the-conveyer andprovided with an oblique -"openii1g tlie'rethi'ough, "an inclined, "cylindrical, r0- tary, Wire brush projecting through the opening or theguide toeingage the sin-fate of the crate, and means for hoil'din'g the crate the guide in travel past the brus 6. A machine for i'emoviirg laihelsfrom crates and the like, comprising aerate cdri- I veyer, a guide adjustably mounted alongside of the conveyer and capable of adjustment toward or away from the conveyei, arotary, Wire brushalso positioned atthe side of the conveyer with the ends of its wires extending across the plane of the guide and I i i adapted toengage the face of thecra te in its travel, means for holding the "crate against theguide in its travel past the brush, 1

the 'adjustability of the guide causingthe 1 crate to travel nearer to axis ofthe brush. 7

In testimonywhereofll aifix mysigiiature, in presence'et "two witnesses.

stirrer votz} or farther the Witnesses c. 7 Graham H. Sriofiz.

Copies of thispate'nt may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Conimissionr bf Washington, D. G. 

